CRC - MEUC

GREEN ENERGY
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RIGHT LIGHT
AND CUT
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AMR
meter
analyse
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22 B+U Utilities | JUNE 2010
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Selecting the most appropriate lighting source and control system
is often the single biggest factor in reducing cost and
energy performance in business - with 60 per cent savings not
uncommon.
Getting it right can pay huge dividends, so businesses investing
in industrial and commercial lighting systems can benefit from significant
environmental and financial cost savings if they pay greater
attention to what lighting is being installed for them rather than
accept anything that "works".
This is the view of lighting specialist David Stone, Operations
Manager for ENER-G Efficiency Solutions, who believes durable
management technology will enable organisations to maximise
value in a market increasingly driven by legislative requirements
rather than immediate costs of installation.
"People often look at changing lighting systems based on installation
costs, and forget that the cheapest short term option is not
always the best long term solution," he said..
"What we are driving is a defined evaluation process based on
the quality of the lighting; the efficiency for the light source; the
influence of environmental management on running costs; and the
control or management of a lighting system."
He continued: "Investment in lighting systems should be about
identifying the correct solution for a particular commercial or industrial
application. A major factor in all of this is achieving appropriate
light quality for employees, who will be more productive and
motivated if their working conditions are optimised.
"If we had a building with a large amount of day lighting, traditionally
a dimmable fluorescent system would be recommended,
but recent developments in electronic high intensity discharge (HID)
lighting mean that this high-wattage "white" source can now do
the same tricks."
Stone emphasises the difference between lighting controls and
management technology, which produces ongoing, long-term data on
the performance of the overall system, including the control element.
"If you are looking at management or control, management
may cause the luminaire to be more expensive initially, but it will
give you an ongoing ability to match the lighting operation with
changing working practices In the long term. This may well
reduce your operating costs over the life-time of the system,"
explained Stone
"This is because of the volatility of the energy procurement market
and the increasing regulatory liability as we move further and
further into a low-carbon economy through government measures
such as the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and CRC
Energy Efficiency scheme."
"With the CRC, accurate management tools will become
increasingly important to manage and report on energy consumption
and therefore mitigate liabilities and penalties," commented
Stone.
He is keen to point out that ENER-G is not backing a particular
lighting product, but instead supports 'open' technologies such
as the Dali and KNX protocol standards, both of which are supported
by manufacturers that make products across the entire
market range.
"The essence is about impartial selection based on light quality
through the life of a system, where flexibility allows you to adapt to
changing operational and economic factors," he said.
"For example, in three years' time someone who didn't take a
longer term view may find that they have to replace a whole system
part way through its operational life due to further changes
in legislative and economic cost structures. Taking time to make
an informed and comprehensive decision on the right system for
your organisation over the long term is crucial. Getting it wrong
can be very costly indeed - both in terms of financial and environmental
performance."